Philippines National Elections

The Philippine National Elections are (finally) over. It has been an experience being here during the campaigns. The national elections included the Pres & VP, all provincial governors and vice-governors, all mayors and vice-mayors, the entire Senate and House and local government councils. There were over 16,000 open offices with over 63,000 candidates. For weeks we have had banners everywhere with trucks and loadspeakers blaring campaign slogans and jingles. This was the first automated elections in the country with a scantron-type of system. All previous elections were purely paper where you had to write out on the ballot the name of the candidate you wanted in each office.

The new president is NoyNoy Aquino. If you've ever read or heard anything about Philippine politics - NoyNoy's father was in exile in the US during the Marcos dictatorship and was assassinated as he stepped off the plane in Manila returning to challenge Marcos. Cory Aquino (his wife) took office when Marcos was exiled to Hawaii. Cory died last Aug and the son decided to run for office. He won by a landslide.

The Vice President is Binay, the mayor of Makati, one of the richest cities in the Metro Manila area. The Pres & VP are elected seperately and these two are from different parties.

This is another one of the candidates campaigning from a jeepney (kind of a whistle stop campaign...)

There were 9 candidates for Pres. They do not have primary elections, just the National elections.

World's largest Philippine flag at one of the campaign rallies.
There were many "colorful" candidates - including - a former president (Estrada) who had been charged with plunder and impeached. He was sentenced to 9 years in jail but was pardoned by the current president so he ran for office again because of a loophole in the constitution -

He looks like an old Elvis to me...

The current President - Gloria Arroyo ran for and won a seat in the House.

World light-weight boxing champion "Pac-Man" won a seat in the House also.

Imelda Marcos, 80 year old wife of Dictator Marcos and her daughter won seats in the House and her son won a Senate seat.There were banners everywhere - even though there are city ordinances against it...

Bamboo Organ

We went to a concert of the only Bamboo Organ in the world. It is in a little Catholic Parish Church in Las Pinas City in Southern Metro Manila. The organ was built by a Spanish Priest who was sent to the Philippines in the mid 1800's to build large organs for the many cathedrals. He build this organ in 1871 when he was assigned as the parish priest in Las Pinas. The organ was restored in 1972 and there is an annual Bamboo Organ Festival. The night we attended the guest organist was from the Czech Republic.

This group performed on Indonesian Bamboo Angklus before the concert. They are like a bamboo version of a handbell choir in that the various sizes are pitched. The bamboo pipes hang on a frame and are shaken to get the sound. I have uploaded a video at the bottom so you can hear the sound of the "choir". This group was from a local high school. There is a museum in the church annex that we toured before the concert. They have some of the old pipes and bellows from the restoration.

One of the old keyboards that was replaced in the restoration.

Inside the church looking up to the organ balcony.

The organ is located on the side to the back of the interior of the church.

The back of the organ showing some of the pipes.

This is a postcard I found showing a top view. The only non-bamboo pipes are the metals one you see which are the "trumpets". It takes three people to operate - one playing the keyboard and two on the sides operating the stops. It used to take more before electric bellows were added with the restoration.

One of the lovely ushers in a traditional "Spanish" costume.

Corregidor Island, Philippines

In a rare quiet weekend in January, Alan and I joined a group going out to Corregidor Island at the mouth of Manila Bay. This island was the last stand for the American and Philipino military after the Japanese attacked the Philippines during WWII. Then Pres. Quezon left from here to go in exile in America and Gen McArthur uttered his famous "I shall return" from here before leaving for Australia. (he did return and win back the Philippines). From Manila we took a ferry out to the island - about 26 nautical miles out. This is a large flooding Chinese restaurant docked next to the ferry boat.

On the ferry were a group of Filipino reinactors going out to camp for the weekend. The island is now a national park and monument.

This relief map is in one of the small museums. The island is very small - 5mls x 1 1/2 mls. It has a volcanic mountain in the center. The Spanish used it for a prion camp.

Our tour guide was an American living on the island doing research. His father was a WWII POW who was stationed on the island. This was the gun his father manned.

The mountain in the center has a very intricate tunnel system that had housing, a hospital and offices. From here MacArthur lead the war until his forced exit to Australia.

In side the main tunnel. There are tracks on the floor from the "train" used to move materials.

One of the many side tunnels. Inside the tunnel there is a light and sound show giving the history of the tunnel.

One of the many guns still standing on the island.

Ruins of the hospital. The island was completely destroyed by the Japanese bombing. Even the plant life was destroyed. When the island became a national park, the trees and plants were replanted. It has taken years to restore the island.

One of the barracks. There were three large long barracks on the island. When the bombing started they were abandoned and everyone had to move into the tunnel.

The Eternal Flame of Peace in the memorial park.

That's me - Looking out at the South China Sea.

There are several beaches long the island that are now parks.

Alan and I at the memorial park.

One of the gun batteries. Before the island became a park, many of the guns were stripped for scrap metal.

Carrabao Island near by. There are several small islands around Corregidor.

Hole left from a Japanese bomb.

Our tour group for the day! It was a nice day trip. There is alot of history there. Since coming to the Philippines I am just now learning alot about the war. My father was a WWII veteran.

Sister Salvacion Meniano

Sister Salvacion Meniano passed away on February 14th at St Lukes Hospital, Quezon City of complications of leukemia and chemotherapy. She was 22 years old. These are the only pictures we have of her.

The first is in the hospital with her mother about a week before she died and the second is with her older sister and nephew and her older brother. Sis Meniano has on the brown and blue dress.

She was a sweet young woman and a hard working missionary - having served in the Butuan Philippines Mission. Her family lives in the Leyte Tocloban area. Please keep her family in your prayers.

Christmas in the Philippines

Sorry it has taken so long to get Christmas pictures up - too many other things happening. These are pictures of the lights at the Manila Temple. They were amazing.

These are pictures from some the houses around our neighborhood. There were lights on the walls, fences, hanging from all the trees!

We bought a lantern (called a Parsol) made of capiz shells. They come in many sizes and colors. (Hope we can get it back to the US in one piece...)

The pagent at the ward Christmas party.

The MRC Christmas tree.

My collection of Santas from various bazaars. Including my Pilippino Santa complete with barong (shirt) and rice hat.